This study will examine the health-related quality of life in patients being treated for chronic heart disease.

Patients 18 years or older with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction enrolled in protocols in the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Cardiology Branch may participate in this study.

Participants will complete five questionnaires at 3 separate times during the study-once during hospitalization at the NIH Clinical Center and again at home 6 months and 1 year later. The questionnaires, described below, require a total of about 30 minutes to complete.

General Health Survey -Patient's self-assessment, on a rating scale, of physical and emotional well being. Questions are related to the ability to perform work and daily living activities, mood and state of mind, limitations on social activities, energy level, pain level, general quality of life, etc.

Heart Disease Survey - Patient's self-assessment, on a rating scale, of the level of physical, social, emotional and functional well being related to his or her heart condition. Questions concern fatigue level, emotional outlook, social well being, etc.

Further study details as provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):

Estimated Enrollment:

105

Study Start Date:

May 2000

Estimated Study Completion Date:

May 2002

Detailed Description:

A majority of the research in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction deals with increasing patient survival rates and years. Very little research has focused on patients' perceptions of living with this chronic debilitating disease. The purpose of this naturalistic, prospective study is to assess the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), anginal symptoms and symptom distress experienced by patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction. The relationship between underlying cardiac condition, anginal symptoms, symptom distress and HRQOL will be examined. The trend in HRQOL across time versus treatment group will be evaluated. The question, does HRQOL, anginal frequency and symptom distress at baseline predict mortality and cardiac related hospitalization during the year following assessment will also be addressed.

Patients who are enrolled in protocols in the Cardiology Branch of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and diagnosed with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction will be asked to participate in this HRQOL study. Patients will complete measures of HRQOL (Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 Survey; Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire) and symptom measures (anginal frequency subscale of the Seattle Angina Questionnaire; cardiopulmonary subscale of the Heart Transplant Symptom Checklist). Underlying cardiac condition will be assessed using exercise thallium imaging parameters (METS and perfusion defects) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging parameter (viability). A sample size of 90 subjects is desired for this study. Data will be analyzed using multivariate statistics. It is expected that this study will provide new information regarding how patients with ischemic heart disease and left ventricular function feel their chronic illness and its corresponding treatment(s) affects their HRQOL.

Eligibility

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Known coronary artery disease.

Left ventricular ejection fraction less that or equal to 45%.

Signed informed consent.

Must be able to read written English.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00005671